What Should Be On Your Health and Safety Noticeboard

06 Nov What Should Be On Your Health and Safety Noticeboard

Posted at 10:26h in Articles by Rachel Bell

Why Your Health and Safety Noticeboard Matters

Your workplace health and safety noticeboard is more than just a compliance requirement – it’s a central hub for communication, awareness, and safety culture.

When used effectively, it helps employees stay informed, know their responsibilities, and feel confident about how to respond in emergencies or report hazards.

If you’re setting up or updating your noticeboard, here’s a checklist of what every New Zealand business should include to meet legal expectations and support a proactive safety culture.

What to Include on a Health and Safety Noticeboard

1. Health and Safety Policy

Start with your company’s Health and Safety Policy – it shows your business’s commitment to keeping people safe at work.

Make sure it’s signed and dated by the business owner or a senior leader. This helps demonstrate leadership accountability and compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.

2. Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) and Committee Details

Employees should know who to talk to about safety.

List your Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) and Committee Members – include names, roles, and contact details.

Tip: Add photos of your HSRs so new staff can recognise them easily.

3. Emergency Procedures and Contact Information

Quick access to emergency information can save lives.

Your noticeboard should clearly show:

Fire evacuation procedures and assembly points;
Emergency contact numbers (111, site supervisor, first aiders, etc.);
Location of first aid kits, fire extinguishers, and defibrillators (if applicable); and
Site-specific emergency plans (e.g. chemical spill or earthquake response).

4. Incident and Hazard Reporting Process

Your team should know exactly how to report an incident, hazard, or near miss.

Display the steps – whether you use paper-based forms or digital reporting through tools like our online Health and Safety Management System.

This encourages early reporting and helps prevent accidents before they happen.

5. Health and Safety Meeting Minutes

Transparency builds trust.

Post the latest health and safety meeting or toolbox talk minutes to show that safety issues are being discussed and resolved.

Rotate or replace them regularly so information stays current and relevant.

6. Key Workplace Hazards and Controls

You don’t need to display your full hazard register, but it’s good practice to highlight top risks and their controls.

For example:

Forklift traffic zones;
Manual handling risks;
Noise exposure areas; and
Hazardous substances or chemicals.

Regularly update this section to reflect changes in your operations.

7. Training and Competency Records

Consider displaying a skills matrix or a list of trained personnel for key safety roles – such as first aiders, fire wardens, or forklift operators.

This helps managers quickly identify competent workers for specific tasks.

8. Health and Safety Performance Metrics

Share positive safety metrics to encourage engagement. Examples include:

Number of incidents or near misses reported this month;
Days without lost-time injuries; and
Recent safety improvements.

Keep the focus on improvement rather than blame.

9. Wellbeing and Safety Campaigns

Your noticeboard isn’t just for compliance – it’s also a space to promote wellbeing.

Add posters or flyers for topics like:

Mental health and stress awareness;
Fatigue management;
Seasonal safety (e.g. hydration and heat in summer); and
WorkSafe NZ campaigns relevant to your industry.

10. WorkSafe NZ Information and Posters

Include relevant WorkSafe New Zealand materials such as:

“What’s My Duty?” posters;
Industry-specific guidance updates; and
Worker rights and responsibilities under HSWA

This reinforces compliance and provides credible, government-backed safety information.

Keeping Your Noticeboard Organised

A cluttered, outdated board loses its impact.

Review and refresh your health and safety noticeboard at least monthly. Remove expired documents and make sure all contact details, policies, and meeting notes are up to date.

Assign a responsible person – such as your HSR or administrator – to keep it current.

If you manage multiple sites or shifts, ensure all teams have access to the same information.

So why is a health and safety noticeboard important?

A clear, up-to-date health and safety noticeboard helps your business stay compliant, informed, and proactive about safety.

It shows your team that you care about their wellbeing – and that safety isn’t just paperwork, it’s part of how you work.